Pension Application

S.32033
New York
(Born July 17, 1759)
State of New York
County of Schenectady SS.
            On this twentieth day of October in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred & thirty two personally appeared in open court, before the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas in & for said county, now sitting Claus J. VanVranken a resident of the town of Niskayuna in said County & stated aged seventy three years, who being first duly worn according to law, doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7th 1832.
            He was born in the town of Niskayuna in the then county of Albany now Schenectady on the eighteenth day of July 1759. He has no record of his age except that contained in his family Bible.
            When he was called into the service of the United States in the Army of the revolution, he was living in said town—and since the revolutionary war he has lived in the same place—and he now lives in the town of Niskayuna aforesaid.
            He entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated.
            In the year 1776, when he arrived at the age of sixteen years he was enrolled in Captain Nanning Fisher’s company of Militia in the Regiment commanded by Col. James VanSchoonhoven. His other company & field officers whom he recollects were 1st Lieutenant [John? blot] VanVranken, Nicholas P. VanVranken 2d Lieutenant & Maus VnVranken Ensign Lieutenant Colonel Gordon & Major Taylor.
            He continued to serve in said company until the end of the said war under one engagement, save that he was on several occasions drafted & then served for the time being under different officers.
            It is well known that there were divers disaffected families & individuals residing at or near the different posts & passes along our frontiers, more particularly in the vicinity of the place where he resided. These assisted the enemy & their savage allies, and often joined them in their murderous and predatory incursions at those frontiers. Detachments of militia were in consequence often ordered out & what with service in these detachment & in scouting parties & in expeditions to distant posts along the Mohawk river & elsewhere, he was almost constantly on duty, and is certain that the different terms of these services when added together, will greatly exceed twelve months.
            He has marched to and performed military duty at the following places among others; viz, Fort George, Canajoharie, fort Edward, Saratoga, Stillwater, Palmertown, Ballston, Fort Miller, Fort Hunter, Skeenesborough, lake Otsego & Caughnawaga. He was in camp at Fort Edward when Ticonderoga was taken.
            He never engaged in any battles or skirmishes during said war except at fort Miller & several encounters during the retreat of General Schuyler in 1777, & served during the whole of that retreat. The claimant served as a sergeant in his company for about two years.
            The following are the names of some of the regular officers whom he knew, or who were with the troops where he served, and such continental and militia regiments or companies with which he served, or as he can recollect, viz: Colonels VanDyck, VanSchaick, Willett, General TenBroeck, Schuyler, Arnold, Adjt. Jellis A. Fonda.
            He never received any written discharge from the service.
            He has no documentary evidence, and knows of no person whose testimony he can procure who can testify to his service except those whose depositions are hereto annexed.
            The following are the names of persons to whom he is known in his present neighborhood, and who can testify as to his character for veracity, and their belief of his services as a soldier of the revolution, to wit: Claus J. VanVranken and Adam Vrooman.
            Her hereby relinquishes every claim whatever, to a pension or annuity except the present, and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state. (Signed) Claus VanVrancken
            Subscribed and sworn to the day and year first aforesaid. John S. Vrooman

County of Schenectady SS.
I, Nicholas P. VanVranken late a Lieutenant in said company of Nanning Fisher, do hereby certify that the aforesaid Claus J. VanVranken served in said company as a private soldier and for about two years as a sergeant during the revolutionary war & at Fort Edward, during the campaign against Burgoyne at Snookkill & other posts in that vicinity during the same campaign as a private soldier not less than two months –in the expedition to Lake Otsego fourteen days—to the upper Schoharie fort as a Sergeant fourteen days—at Halfmoon performing garrison duty not less than two months though a different occasions—all of which served was rendered by him in said company and I further certify that said Claus J. VanVrnaken served in many other expeditions during said war by order and under command of the officers of said company but the particular occasions of which and the periods of which I cannot specify, yet know said Claus was ever ready to do his duty & was a firm whig & zealous soldier. (Signed with his mark) Nicls P. VanVranken.
I certify that the 23rd day of September 1833, personally appeared before me the undersigned, the above deponent Nicholas p. VanVranken, to me well known, & made oath that the facts set forth in the above deposition by him signed are true and I further certify that said Nicholas P. VnVranken is a man of veracity & that his statements are entitled to credit. JD. Harman, Justice of the Peace.

County of Schenectady SS.
Claus J. VanVranker the above named applicant being further duly sworn saith, that by reason of old age & the consequent loss of memory he cannot swear positively as to the precise length of his service, but according to the best of his recollection he served not less than the periods mentioned below in the following grades as a private in said company of Captain Nanning Fisher at fort George, Ticonderoga & Skeenesborough, not less than one hundred and four days during the years 1775 & 1777—at Canajoharrie as a sergeant in said company during the year 1778 or 79 for at least twenty four days—as a private as aforesaid at fort Edward, Fort Miller, Stillwater & the other posts occupied by the American army under Generals Schuyler & Gates in the campaign of ’77 against Burgoyne’s army for a term exceeding forty two days – in an expedition to Lake Otsego for a term not less than fourteen days for the like term of fourteen days he performed garrison duty at Saratoga at McNiell’s post (so called) at Palmertown as a Sergeant he performed garrison duty he thinks in the year 1780 for a term not less than four weeks as a private in said company her performed garrison duty at Ballstown, & Dunningstreet for a term not less than twenty six day—as such private he has marched to & performed the like duty at Fort Hunter for the term of two days & at Caughnawaga in the year 1780 eight days—he served as such private in Colonel Willett’s expedition to Oswego not less than twenty days—as sergeant at the Upper Schoharie fort not less than fourteen days—as a private as aforesaid at Halfmoon Point, Rosendohl Forts & Fisher’s ferry, and other passes along the Mohawk river for a term no less than sixty days & for the aforesaid service of more than one year, this deponent claims a pension and this deponent further deposeth, that while engaged in the aforesaid services he was not employed in any civil pursuit. (Signed) Claus J. VnVrancken
Subscribed & sworn this 23rd day of September 1733 before me. JD. Harman Justice of the Peace.

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